A former 20+ year C suite executive across a dozen industries, Geoff has been a successful Business Consultant and Coach for over 12 years by way of Melbourne, Jakarta and Sydney. He is known as the Profitability Coach, Founded the Elite Business Institute, an active Governance Board Chair he is also one of a handful of Certified Advisory Board Chairs and is an expert Business Continuity Planning.
Equally at home strategising with C Suite executives or Business Owners; Geoff’s focus is teaching Business Owners how to build their business into an efficient vehicle that supports the lifestyle they want to live. This means More. More Time, More Money and More Fun.
His work enables Business Owners to develop the right systems to put their businesses onto Cruise Control so it runs successfully without their constant input and presence. He does this by working alongside his clients and tackling the 3 ‘Big Levers of Business: Revenue, Capacity and Costs.
In a nutshell it is about using the Science of Living Free.
Geoff holds a BEd, and 2 MBAs (in Business and International Business). He resides on the NSW Central Coast and spends his weekends playing at Jui Jitsu, hitting the beach or just relaxing with family and friends.
For more details, visit their website here.
Here we sit down with Geoff, to know a bit more about his journey as an entrepreneur.
Q. What inspired Geoff to become an entrepreneur?
Geoff: I had my first job at age 6 burning cardboard boxes after school for the local Toy Shop and Butcher, so I guess I have always been entrepreneurial.
To me an Entrepreneur is a problem solver.
Whilst at University I ran various side hustles to pay my way and when a teaching role did not appear I moved into Retail.
In my Corporate Life I was generally recognised as an ‘Intrapreneur’ and as someone who was always looking for new ways to build business, deliver results and satisfy customers.
Really it has always been about being creative about solving problems and then sharing the ‘How’ with others so they could do it themselves.
Q. How did Geoff get started?
Geoff: After I left my last CEO role and was at a loose end, a good friend who had a large fight gym asked me to look over the business as he felt it was not going right. Long story short – despite an Accountant, business coach and financial advisor he was 4 months from trading insolvent. I worked with him and turned the business around in about 10 weeks.
He then sent some of his Gym members to me for help with their businesses and my Coaching business was born.
I had come to realise in the latter part of Corporate career that not only did I solve problems that many other couldn’t, but that I was a essentially a teacher who passed on the How and Why and What – so the move to Business Coaching was a natural transition.
Q. What was your biggest startup challenge? What steps did you take to overcome it? What did you learn?
Geoff: My biggest challenge has been – against all advice – realising that I did not want to or needed to specialise in a particular niche or Industry.(eg Left Handed Plumbers who drive Ford Explorers)
Instead of the usual Demo / Psychographic Ideal Client creation, I decided to niche by the desired outcome that Business Owners really want.
This means that I teach the Owners of established 6 or 7 figure businesses how to build their business around their life so they have the revenue and time to do what they want, when they want, with the folks who matter most. And I use my extensive tool box of Strategies, Tactics, Tips and ‘How to’ to do just that.
Q. What is the Most Memorable Thing did Geoff Done Since he Started his Business?
Geoff: In terms of financial results helped a client grow from a $23 Million a year business to a $30 Million + one over 3 years.
Personally – watching an overwhelmed, stressed-out near-suicidal business owner get to take a few weeks off with confidence knowing his business could now run without him there every minute of every day – and knowing that is the norm for my clients.
Q. What is one book you recommend, and why?
Geoff: My very first Business book that I read at age 18 was ‘The One Minute Manager’ by Ken Blanchard and Spencer Johnson.
I have given away literally scores of copies as I believe its underlying message of ‘Catching people doing something right’ and offering a short praise to positively reinforce desired behaviours is a message that still is not well understood and yet yields tremendous results.
Q. What are your top 3 favourite online apps, tools, or resources and what do you love about them?
- Slack – so easy to keep in touch with and collaborate with your team
- ZOOM – Because it is a must have for communications these days and to their credit they fixed a lot of its earlier ‘buginess’ when it became obvious Covid was forcing folks to use it.
Kapwing – for video and audio editing. Not well known and still with a few rough edges I find this tool easy to use. Unlike other more bloated or well established editors Kapwing does not require hours of training and a HD to use. - Bonus extra – Descript for transcription and editing. Just a brilliant tool
Q. In terms of legacy, what is the mark you’d like to leave on the world?
Geoff: I have a Goal to help the Owners of 1000 established 6 or 7 businesses design their business so it efficiently acts as the support vehicle for the life they want to live. If I can do this I have done well.
Q. In one sentence, what’s the best advice you’d give to someone just starting out on their entrepreneurial journey?
Geoff: Don’t believe you can do it all yourself – get experienced help and don’t stint on what you pay for it.
To keep up to date with Geoff and his journey, connect with him on his LinkedIn and Facebook.
